GaryMrMets
06-04-2004, 02:19 AM
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/sports/8824559.htm
Posted on Thu, Jun. 03, 2004
Phils' bullpen gets nowhere fast
By Todd Zolecki
Inquirer Staff Writer
Poof.
It happened so fast last night that it shocked almost everybody at Citizens Bank Park.
One second, the Phillies had a three-run lead and lefthander Randy Wolf had a shutout. The next second, New York Mets third baseman Todd Zeile hit a three-run home run to left field off Ryan Madson with two outs in the eighth inning to tie it.
But Zeile, who had killed the Phillies in a comeback victory Tuesday, came back to kick the Phillies again in the top of the 10th inning when he hit a two-run home run to right field off Roberto Hernandez (1-2) as the Mets walked away with a 5-3 victory and a three-game series sweep.
The Phillies, who tonight begin a 10-game trip that will take them to Atlanta, Chicago and Minnesota, have lost seven of their last 11, although they remain just two games behind the Florida Marlins in the National League East.
"It seemed like a one-man-gang show," Hernandez said of Zeile. "He took us apart. He's hot right now. You can't make a mistake with him."
On Tuesday, Zeile hit a tying homer in the eighth and the winning hit, a single, in the 10th inning of a 4-1 victory.
"When you feel good at the plate, you always have the confidence you're going to get it done," Zeile said. "That's the strange thing about baseball - how mental the game can be. Sometimes a little confidence gives you a better approach and a better swing at the plate."
Zeile, who has hit better against the Phillies than against any other NL team over his career, finished the series 7 for 15 with three homers and eight RBIs.
But what happened before that?
Victory seemed like a formality. Wolf pitched brilliantly through the first seven innings, allowing just two hits and one walk, despite not having his best fastball. He recorded two quick outs to start the eighth before Mets pinch-hitter Vance Wilson singled to center and Kaz Matsui followed with a double to left field.
Wolf had thrown 104 pitches at that point. He had been on a 90-pitch count.
After the lefthander missed his May 22 start against San Diego because of elbow tendinitis, Phillies manager Larry Bowa had said he needed to watch him carefully - especially with righthander Vicente Padilla on the disabled list with right biceps tendinitis.
After the seventh inning last night, Wolf and pitching coach Joe Kerrigan talked in the dugout. Wolf said that he'd like to continue, but that Kerrigan better have somebody ready in the bullpen.
So, after Matsui's hit, Bowa walked to the mound. He put his hands on Wolf's shoulders and looked him in the eye.
"How do you feel?" Bowa asked. "You have to be honest with me."
"You know what? My heart tells me that Mad Dog has a better chance at getting him out than me," Wolf said.
Madson, the bullpen's most reliable arm this season, served up the homer to Zeile.
"Mad Dog's been our guy all year," Wolf said.
The Phillies took a 1-0 lead when shortstop Jimmy Rollins hit a leadoff home run to left field in the first. Rollins, who went 3 for 3 with two walks, kept it going in the third. He hit a two-out double to left field, and centerfielder Doug Glanville followed with a walk. Rightfielder Bobby Abreu then doubled to left-center field to score both runners.
But they didn't get another hit until Rollins' single in the 10th. The Phillies had the bases loaded with two outs in the 10th, but Jim Thome grounded out to end the game.
The Phils were 1 for 6 with runners in scoring position and have been just 13 for 95 (.137) with runners in scoring position in this recent 11-game slump. The Phillies are now 3-12 this season against division rivals Florida, Atlanta and New York.
Wolf, who has had his differences with Bowa after two early exits this season, acknowledged that it wouldn't be easy getting on the team's charter flight to Atlanta last night.
"It's tough," he said. "It's not the way you want to end the series. You wanted to end it on a good note."
Said Bowa: "I'll sleep good tonight knowing that one of my best pitchers was honest with me and that we did the right thing. Did it cost us a game? Yeah, but that's the way it goes. I respect Randy Wolf for what he said."
Extra bases. Second baseman Placido Polanco, on the disabled list since May 8 with a strained left quadriceps, will begin a rehabilitation assignment tonight with double-A Reading. He could rejoin the Phillies in time for Tuesday's game against the Chicago White Sox... . Closer Billy Wagner, recovering from a groin injury, threw off the mound. He will throw a bullpen session Saturday and Sunday in Atlanta, and a simulated game Tuesday in Chicago. Bowa said there's a good chance Wagner won't need to make any rehab appearances in the minors before he returns.
Posted on Thu, Jun. 03, 2004
Phils' bullpen gets nowhere fast
By Todd Zolecki
Inquirer Staff Writer
Poof.
It happened so fast last night that it shocked almost everybody at Citizens Bank Park.
One second, the Phillies had a three-run lead and lefthander Randy Wolf had a shutout. The next second, New York Mets third baseman Todd Zeile hit a three-run home run to left field off Ryan Madson with two outs in the eighth inning to tie it.
But Zeile, who had killed the Phillies in a comeback victory Tuesday, came back to kick the Phillies again in the top of the 10th inning when he hit a two-run home run to right field off Roberto Hernandez (1-2) as the Mets walked away with a 5-3 victory and a three-game series sweep.
The Phillies, who tonight begin a 10-game trip that will take them to Atlanta, Chicago and Minnesota, have lost seven of their last 11, although they remain just two games behind the Florida Marlins in the National League East.
"It seemed like a one-man-gang show," Hernandez said of Zeile. "He took us apart. He's hot right now. You can't make a mistake with him."
On Tuesday, Zeile hit a tying homer in the eighth and the winning hit, a single, in the 10th inning of a 4-1 victory.
"When you feel good at the plate, you always have the confidence you're going to get it done," Zeile said. "That's the strange thing about baseball - how mental the game can be. Sometimes a little confidence gives you a better approach and a better swing at the plate."
Zeile, who has hit better against the Phillies than against any other NL team over his career, finished the series 7 for 15 with three homers and eight RBIs.
But what happened before that?
Victory seemed like a formality. Wolf pitched brilliantly through the first seven innings, allowing just two hits and one walk, despite not having his best fastball. He recorded two quick outs to start the eighth before Mets pinch-hitter Vance Wilson singled to center and Kaz Matsui followed with a double to left field.
Wolf had thrown 104 pitches at that point. He had been on a 90-pitch count.
After the lefthander missed his May 22 start against San Diego because of elbow tendinitis, Phillies manager Larry Bowa had said he needed to watch him carefully - especially with righthander Vicente Padilla on the disabled list with right biceps tendinitis.
After the seventh inning last night, Wolf and pitching coach Joe Kerrigan talked in the dugout. Wolf said that he'd like to continue, but that Kerrigan better have somebody ready in the bullpen.
So, after Matsui's hit, Bowa walked to the mound. He put his hands on Wolf's shoulders and looked him in the eye.
"How do you feel?" Bowa asked. "You have to be honest with me."
"You know what? My heart tells me that Mad Dog has a better chance at getting him out than me," Wolf said.
Madson, the bullpen's most reliable arm this season, served up the homer to Zeile.
"Mad Dog's been our guy all year," Wolf said.
The Phillies took a 1-0 lead when shortstop Jimmy Rollins hit a leadoff home run to left field in the first. Rollins, who went 3 for 3 with two walks, kept it going in the third. He hit a two-out double to left field, and centerfielder Doug Glanville followed with a walk. Rightfielder Bobby Abreu then doubled to left-center field to score both runners.
But they didn't get another hit until Rollins' single in the 10th. The Phillies had the bases loaded with two outs in the 10th, but Jim Thome grounded out to end the game.
The Phils were 1 for 6 with runners in scoring position and have been just 13 for 95 (.137) with runners in scoring position in this recent 11-game slump. The Phillies are now 3-12 this season against division rivals Florida, Atlanta and New York.
Wolf, who has had his differences with Bowa after two early exits this season, acknowledged that it wouldn't be easy getting on the team's charter flight to Atlanta last night.
"It's tough," he said. "It's not the way you want to end the series. You wanted to end it on a good note."
Said Bowa: "I'll sleep good tonight knowing that one of my best pitchers was honest with me and that we did the right thing. Did it cost us a game? Yeah, but that's the way it goes. I respect Randy Wolf for what he said."
Extra bases. Second baseman Placido Polanco, on the disabled list since May 8 with a strained left quadriceps, will begin a rehabilitation assignment tonight with double-A Reading. He could rejoin the Phillies in time for Tuesday's game against the Chicago White Sox... . Closer Billy Wagner, recovering from a groin injury, threw off the mound. He will throw a bullpen session Saturday and Sunday in Atlanta, and a simulated game Tuesday in Chicago. Bowa said there's a good chance Wagner won't need to make any rehab appearances in the minors before he returns.